1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates broadly to counting and dispensing apparatus. More particularly, this invention relates to feeding and counting apparatus which are adapted to dispense any selected number of discrete objects, up to a maximum number, without a delay associated with counting the objects.
2. State of the Art
In retail, hospital, and mail order medication dispensing, a large number of different prescriptions of single dose medications, such as tablets, must be filled. (Hereinafter, reference to xe2x80x9ctabletsxe2x80x9d should be understood for purposes herein as being generic to tablets, capsules, caplets and any other solid dose medication).
Larger quantity prescriptions are often filled with the aid of a counting apparatus intended to more rapidly count different quantities of different tablets successively. For example, a prescription for ninety tablets of 10 mg Claritin(copyright) may need to be filled after a prescription for sixty tablets of 400 mg Motrin(copyright).
With an automatic tablet counter, the pharmacist obtains a bulk container of a prescription medication from a shelf and then pours from the container a quantity of tablets into a hopper of the counting apparatus. The pharmacist then sets the counting apparatus to the number of tablets to be counted, e.g., ninety. Assuming at least the required number of tablets for the prescription has been poured into the hopper, the pharmacist waits while the counting apparatus counts the required number of tablets and dispenses the tablets into a patient prescription bottle. The excess tablets are discharged back into the bulk container, which is then replaced on the shelf. It has been found that the time taken to discharge the excess tablets can be equal to or greater than the time required to count the prescription.
Each prescription medication must be obtained from a bulk storage container located in stock, which must be opened prior to use and closed after use. In order to minimize the time taken to dispense a prescription, counter manufacturers have provided xe2x80x9ccassette countersxe2x80x9d for retail, hospital, and mail order pharmacies. Each cassette is designed for a specific size and shape capsule, tablet, or caplet. The cassettes are pre-filled by the pharmacist with bulk quantities of the appropriate prescription drugs, and are used to store bulk quantities rather than using the container supplied by the manufacturer. The prescription medication is then dispensed directly from the cassette. The use of cassettes eliminates the time needed to open the manufacturer""s original container, the time needed to return excess tablets to the container, and the time needed to close the container.
However, there are situations, particularly in bulk mail order pharmacies and high volume hospital dispensing, where greater dispensing speed is desired than is currently provided by automatic dispensing systems, particularly for the most frequently dispensed medications.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a system for dispensing a selected quantity of tablets extremely rapidly, irrespective of the type of tablet and the quantity of tablets dispensed.
It is another object of the invention to provide a system for dispensing tablets which incorporates a plurality of storage areas for different tablets within the system.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a system for dispensing tablets which functions with all tablets regardless of size, shape, and weight.
It is an additional object of the invention to provide a system for dispensing tablets which is not prone to clogging.
In accord with these objects, which will be discussed in detail below, a system and method for storing and dispensing discrete objects, such as xe2x80x98tabletsxe2x80x99 (stated above to be generic for tablets, capsules, caplets and any other solid dose medication), is provided and adapted to dispense any selected number of tablets, up to a maximum number, without a delay associated with counting the tablets.
The system and methodology include first counting and storing a preset number of tablets in respective dedicated chambers (storage locations), the combination of the numbers of tablets within the chambers being known to comprise any number of tablets which is desired for dispensing. According to a preferred system and method, n chambers are provided, with 20, 21, 22, . . . , 2nxe2x88x921 tablets provided respectively in the individual chambers. Using such a system, any number of tablets, up to the additive combination of all the chambers (e.g., where n=7, the additive combination is 127), can be dispensed by selectively emptying the chambers which together add up to the selected number for dispensing. Because the number of tablets in each of the chambers is always the same, the system optionally can be hardwired to select the tablets from the required chambers without any combinatorial computation process; i.e., for any number of tablets selected for dispensing, there always exists a particular readily determinable combination of chambers which can be emptied to comprise the selected number of tablets exactly. Alternatively, the chambers can be selected by a simple computational process; i.e., first identifying the chamber having the largest number of tablets less than the selected number for dispensing, then identifying the chamber having the next largest number of tablets, provided that the addition of such number of tablets to the previously identified chamber does not exceed the selected number for dispensing, then identifying the chamber having the next largest number of tablets, provided that the addition of such number of tablets to the previously identified chambers does not exceed the selected number for dispensing, etc., until the desired number of tablets has been identified. As each chamber is identified, or after all have been identified, the exit gates are released, preferably in succession, to dispense the tablets.
After the selected chambers are emptied, the opened exit gates are closed, and only the emptied chambers are filled with the number of tablets required for the respective chambers. The tablets are fed from a feeder which stores bulk quantities of the tablet, counted, and directed into the emptied chambers to refill the chambers with the preset number of tables. The direction of the tablets into the emptied chambers for filling is preferably controlled by refill gates which open to receive the required number of tablets and close once appropriately refilled. It is appreciated that only those chambers which are emptied after dispensing need to be refilled and, as such, only the number of tablets in those storage locations need to be counted.
The system may include a plurality of cells, each including a plurality of chambers for a different solid dose medication. The solid dose medication may then be selected along with the number of tablets required to be dispensed.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reference to the detailed description taken in conjunction with the provided figures.